Gear-shifting lever.



P. C. JOHNSON.

GEAR SHIFTING'LEVER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 1 913 1,171,342. Patented Feb. 8,1916. flyj.

J6 z I Z V r'HILIPc. Joriusou',.,ort .LAR ii,"015110) GEAR-summingLEVER,

To allwhom it may concern.

Be it-known that I, PHILIP O. JOHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Larue, in the county of Marion, State of .Ohio, haveinvented certain-new and useful Improvements in GeareShiftmg Levers; and

I do hereby declare. the following to bea full, clear, andexactdescription of the in-" vention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it-appertains-to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in transmission gearing, andparticularly to:

transmission gearing for automobiles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple andefficient device of this character by means of which it is possible toattain three speeds forward and one speed reverse.

Another object isto provide a transmission gearing wherein the speed canbe quickly, smoothly and noiselessly changed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the transmissionmechanism, one side of the casing being removed; Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of theclutch shifting mechanism; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan viewthereof.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents acasing in which are journaled the parallel longitudinal shafts 11, and12, this casing being adapted to be filled with oil. One end of theshaft 11 is connected to a differential gearing (not shown). The casingis divided by a vertical wall 13, this wall supporting the middleportion of the shafts 11 and 12, and forming the two compartments 14 and15. shaft 11 are mounted the gears 20, 21, 22 and 23 meshingrespectively with the gears 16, 17, 18 and 19, the latter meshing withthe gear 23 by means of the intermediate pinion 24 carried on a stubshaft 25 in the end of the casing. Mounted on the shaft 11 andassociated with the gears 20 and 21, are the multiple disk clutches 26and 27. Also on the shaft 11, between the gears 22 and 23 are the diskclutches 28 and 29 operable by the sleeve 31. Carried on each endSpecification of Letters Patent.

in parallel slots of the plate.

On the Patented net. 8, 191a.

Applicationfiled October 7, 1913:; Serial No. 793,965.

ofeach'of, the sleeves 30 and31 is a disk 32. These clutches areactuated by, the forked levers 33 and; 35. The said forked levers arec'entrally pivoted within the easing, the'i-r.other ends being pivotallyconnected respectively with; the shifting rods 3.6 and .34leading to theoperatingmecha ni sm which will be described laterl The. rods 34 and 36are arrangedto be moved bya "vertical controlling. lever 37 suitablymounted ,and arianged to be shifted within the H-shaped slot 38 of theordinary plate 39. These parts are to, be mounted-in the usual positionon the automobile. Below the slotted plate are two crank members 47 and48, the former of which is connected to the shifting rod 36 and thelatter to the shifting rod 34. On the inner end of each of the crankmembers is an upwardly and inwardly extending fork 49 into either one ofwhlchthe lever 37 is adapted to engage when said lever is shiftedtransversely is mounted on a transverse shaft 50 so that .in the middleslot of the plate. The lever it can be moved forwardly and backwardlyDuring such movement of the lever one or the other fork r 7 side of thelever on the lower portion 51 and bearing on the lever above its pivotso as to have a tendency normally to move the lever into the middle ofthe transverse slot.

Below the plate 39 are two plates 40 and 41,-

each being provided with an open ended slot 42, and the plates being soarranged that the ends of the slots are disposed adjacent each other andin registering relation.

These slotted plates receive the lower por-'- tion of the lever therein.Mounted with in any convenient point within reach of the foot of theoperator there is a pedal 43, f

this pedal being preferably mounted on a centrally pivoted vertical rockarm 44. Connected to the upper end of the lever and.

to the slotted plate 41 is an adjustable connecting rod 45, whileconnected to the lower end of the 'arm 44 and to the slotted plate 40 isan adjustable connecting rod 46.

These plates 40 and 41 are adapted to slide over each other, and whenthe pedal 43 is depressed theplates' 40 and 41 are drawn so as toembrace the lower portion of the lever 37, one of the plates sliding onthe other. When the pedal is thus operated, the plates 40 and 41 engagethe lever and rock the same into the middle ,or transverse portion ofthe H-shaped slot which is the neutral position. This is used in anemergency to throw out all of the gearing immediately preceding theapplication of the brake.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a transmission gearing including;- gears andclutches, of a pivoted operating lever connected with the clutches, apair of overlapping and oppositely slidable slotted plates embracing aportion of the lever below the pivot thereof, means for holding theplates in normal position, and a foot pedal connected to the plates andarranged to draw them in opposite directions and into engagement withthe lever to move the latter into vertical neutral position.

2. The combination with a clutch shifting lever, the lower portion ofwhich is adapted for movement in one direction and the other portion formovement thereon in a direction at right angles thereto, of a pair ofslotted plates embracing the lower portion of the lever, and means formoving the plates slidably over each other to move the lever into anupright position;

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

PHILIP C. JOHNSON.

lVitnesses JosErH C. CARPENTER, M. J. HERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 4

